Keith M. Read collection

Item

Country: US
Name of institution (official language of the state): University of Georgia Special Collections Libraries
Language of name of institution: eng
Contact information: postal address: 300 South Hull Street, Athens, Georgia 30602
Contact information: phone number: 001 7065427123
Contact information: web address: https://libs.uga.edu/scl
Contact information: email: sclib@uga.edu
Reference number: ms921
Type of reference number: Archival reference number
Title (official language of the state): Keith M. Read collection
Language of title: eng
Creator / accumulator: Keith M. Read
Date(s): 1732/1905
Language(s): eng
Extent: 5 linear metres (32 boxes and 34 oversized folders)
Type of material: Textual Material
Scope and content: This collection consists of materials collected by Keith M. Read documenting the history of Georgia from 1732-1905, including account books, correspondence, deeds, diaries, indentures, land grants, letter books, and minute books.
One of the highlights of this collection is the diaries of Benjamin and Levi Sheftall (box 23, folder 3; box 24, folder 3), reporting the earliest Jewish settlement in Savannah, Georgia, as well as Benjamin's list of the first Jewish settlers coming from London in 1733 (box 23, folder 4). Digital copies of Levi's diary and Benjamin's list are available online. The Sheftall diaries were transcribed and published by Malcolm Stern (1965).
This collection also includes documents regarding Sephardim settled in Savannah and Charleston, such as Isaac da Costa (box 6, folder 44, order to pay Levi Sheftall, 1790), Isaac de la Motta (box 6, folder 62, marriage contract with Sarah Canter, 1796; box 6, folder 63, estate), Jacob de la Motta (box 6, folder 64, challenge to duel, 1821), Sarah de la Motta (box 6, folder 65, deed to Sarah Sheftall, 1786) and Moses Nunes (box 19, folder 42, will, September 21, 1787).
Administrative / Biographical history: Keith M. Read (1880-1940) was a businessman and collector who lived in Savannah, Georgia.
Access points: locations: Savannah, Georgia (USA)
Access points: persons, families: Costa, Isaac; Motta, Isaac de la; Motta, Jacob de la; Motta, Sarah de la; Nunes Ribeiro, Moses (Moses Nunez); Nunes Ribeiro, Samuel (Diogo Nunes Ribeiro)
Access points: corporate bodies: Congregation Mickve Israel (Savannah, Ga.)
Access points: subject terms: Sephardim in North America; Land; Migration; Will; 18th century; 19th century
Access points: document types: Births, marriages and deaths; Personal records; Research records; Wills and probates
System of arrangement: Records are arranged alphabetically by subject.
Access, restrictions: Digital copies of some records are available online:; Special Collections Libraries. Finding aids: Keith M. Read collection
Links to finding aids: Special Collections Libraries. Finding aids: Keith M. Read collection
Existence and location of copies: Collection of Sheftall family papers
Author of the description: Carla Vieira, 2022
Bibliography: Morgan, David T. 1973. “The Sheftalls of Savannah.” American Jewish Historical Quarterly 62 (4): 348–61. https://www.jstor.org/stable/23878075.; Stern, Malcolm H. 1965. “The Sheftall Diaries: Vital Records of Savannah Jewry (1733-1808).” American Jewish History 54 (3).
Published primary sources: Cunningham, Carolyn Wildes. 2011. Sheftall Diaries (1733-1808): Georgia’s First Jewish Colonists. Lulu.com.; Marcus, Jacob Rader. 1959. American Jewry: Documents: Eighteenth Century. Cincinnati: Hebrew Union College Press.

Item sets: WSD Roadmap; WSD Roadmap finais; WSD Roadmap USA

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Collection of Sheftall family papers

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University of Georgia Special Collections Libraries